Save the Waterberg Rhinos: Organisation wants to force criminals out

Members of the Highveld Forum hosted speakers from the Save the Waterberg Rhinos project at the Bryanston Country Club in an effort to raise funds for the non-profit organisation.

Former Bryanston residents Jessica Babich-Bonior and her husband Patrick Bonoir gave a talk to a full house of guests who were eager to find out about the plans in place to save the rhinos.

The organisation was started in 2012 when Tessa and Ant Baber, who have a game reserve in Waterberg, had three of their rhinos killed in less than a year. The Baber’s along with Victoria Crake decided that the only way to ensure the rhinos were protected was to ensure that the community was invested in their safety.

Babich-Bonior discussed how, bit-by-bit, they are forcing criminals out of the area through community involvement, networking, high-level technologies, international partnerships and government support at local and provincial levels among other ways.

“It became evident that all crime is interconnected. Where you have poaching, you will find human and animal trafficking, illegal weaponry and drugs. We cannot sit back while organised criminal syndicates rape our country.

“We need to stand together to protect vulnerable children, stop the drugs coming in and save our unique and precious wildlife,” said Babich-Bonior.

Generous members of the Highveld Forum donated thousands of rands to Save the Waterberg Rhino to help them in their amazing initiative.

“We are happy to share our knowledge with anyone. The Waterberg will soon be the safest place in South Africa if our citizens have anything to say about it,” said Babich-Bonior.

Details: Save the Waterberg Rhino 078 982 5516.

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